GALLERY: Fair Grounds hosts star-studded field at Louisiana Champions Day
Aaron S. Lee
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — On Saturday, the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans hosted 10 stakes races on a jam-packed Louisiana Champions Day card, including the $100,000 Ladies Sprint race won in thrilling fashion by Louisiana-bred filly Ova Charged, who was a .40-1 favorite over Cilla (1.90-1).
“It’s an honor to ride for Jose’s stable, to ride Ova Charged,” said jockey Reylu Gutierrez. “What a smart, talented, strong, physically and mentally imposing filly. I am really delighted I can ride her.
“Two champion fillies neither of them deserved to lose.”
With a late charge Ova Charged outruns Cilla to capture the Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint at Fair Grounds. Photo: Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.
Grand Luwegee with jockey Colby Hernandez aboard goes wire to wire to capture the 30th running of the Louisiana Champions Day Classic at Fair Grounds. Photo: Hodges Photography / Amanda Hodges Weir
Fort Polk (second from right) with Jorge Guzman aboard turns into the stretch and goes on to win the 30th running of the Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Distaff at Fair Grounds. Photo: Hodges Photography / Jan Brubaker
Deshawn Parker aboard Who Took The Money pulls away to capture the 31st Running of the Louisiana Champions Day Turf at Fair Grounds. Photo: Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.
Buckley Bunny with Kevin Smith aboard wins the 30th running of the Louisiana Champions Day Lassie at Fair Grounds. Photo: Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.
Monte Man with Adam Beschizza aboard wins the 30th running of the Louisiana Champions Day Sprint at Fair Grounds. Photo: Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.
Unified Report with Brian Hernandez, Jr. aboard wins the 30th running of the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile at Fair Grounds. Photo: Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.
Multiple stakes winners Eyeondaprize and Lifeinthefastlanes battled to a dead heat Saturday in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day. Photo: Hodges Photography
Quid Pro Quo (15-1), a 2-year-old son of multiple stakes sire Five Bar Cartel, got his first career stakes win on Saturday when he soundly defeated Gamefaceprize by three-quarter’s in the restricted Grade 2 $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Quarter Horse Juvenile at Fairgrounds Race Course. Photo: Hodges Photography
Post time favorite Dirtwater Dash, under jockey Everardo Rodriguez, got up late to defeat Ought To Go Tee by half-a-length in the $100,000 restricted Grade 2 Louisiana Champions Day Quarter Horse Derby. Photo: Hodges Photography
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Champions Classic winner Grand Luwegee, who won last year’s race at 52-1 repeated with jocky Colby Hernandez on board.
“Coming out of the one hole we were definitely going to run just like last time. Gerrad (trainer Perron) and his staff did a great job of getting this horse to the race and he ran a very hard race,” Hernandez said. “Turning for home, when I slapped her more on the shoulder, she kicked on.”
